We are finally at that time of the year when the spring thaw releases the cold clutch of old man winter’s grip over the city and when we welcome the warm weather by abusing our pancreases into producing more insulin for the litres of maple syrup we ingest. Like clock work, hungry hoards of people rush to make their cabane à sucre reservations to indulge in a Quebecois tradition of jumping in their car, driving 45 mins outside the city, see some animals and fall into a catatonic, sugar induced baked bean and bacon lust coma. Classic sugar shacks are common, but uncommon are the ones located right in the city, especially the ones that offer a unique contemporary spin of this timely maple season tradition.
Category:
Food
Every year Montreal hosts one of the world’s biggest winter festivals, Montreal en Lumiere, attracting close to a million people – visitors and locals alike – to bask in the winter wonders that Montreal has to offer. From inviting some of the world’s best chefs to take part in the gastronomy program of the festival, to highlighting the arts and music that acclimate to an all night bash in the Quartier des spectacles, for two whole weeks in the dead of winter, we Montrealers party with our snow pants on.
Have you ever been for Chinese hot pot (fondue)? I have fond memories of this Sunday night ritual around our house. Our family crowded around our kitchen table over a boiling pot of simmering aromatic brother sitting on a butane burner. Cooking platefuls of quick cooking ingredients like thinly sliced beef and lamb, to noodles and strainers upon strainers and fresh greens was our family meal that ended the weekend. By fun I don’t actually mean the family fun time cooking over a communal pot; I’m talking about my dad yelling at my oldest sister for bailing to go out and see her boyfriend my parents didn’t like, the other two talking on the phone and being a picky eater and then me busting out a random nosebleed out of no where. Whether or not you share this kind of memory or have never had hot pot before, here’s a spot where you can.